Dark Days
by Ninjette
Summary: SW:KOTOR fanfic of Revan and Malak in the bad old days. INCOMPLETE AND MIGHT REMAIN THAT WAY
1. Default Chapter

The metal was cold against his skin. Cold and hard. He ran one finger cautiously along the metal that replaced his jaw. He sighed and was horrified by the grating, inhuman noise.  
  
" Oh dear Malak, let's hope that's all you lose, " came a voice from behind him.  
  
He turned to see Revan leant in the doorway, watching him. Her hood was down and she wasn't wearing her mask. Which meant the mockery on her face was perfectly evident.  
  
" It would be simply murderous trying to replace other body parts. "  
  
Her gaze drifted downwards crudely. She grinned widely and turned to leave.  
  
" C'mon, " she called to him, " I need you to run through the invasion plans with the ground commanders. "  
  
He stared after her for a second then followed in silence.  
  
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" All in all, it should take no more than three days. Another two, at most, to take the capital. "  
  
Malak watched the man finish his briefing and look over to Revan. The soldier was visibly nervous. Revan had replaced her mask and was looking back at the man implacably. It was silent for a few seconds before she spoke.  
  
" Five days, you say? " she asked finally.  
  
The man nodded slowly.  
  
" Yes Lord Revan. "  
  
She nodded and rose to her feet.  
  
" Well, Commander Grant, on the sixth day, I will pay you a visit. And I expect to see either squadrons of Sith troopers lining the streets of the capital, or your cold dead corpse. Do you understand me? "  
  
The man swallowed and nodded again.  
  
" Yes Lord Revan. "  
  
" Good. Now go. "  
  
The soldiers filed out quietly, obviously shaken by Revan's words of `encouragement`.  
  
Revan slipped her mask off and moved to pour herself a drink. Malak didn't move from the corner in which he was slouched. She flicked him a quick look and frowned.  
  
" Are you still brooding about your chin? " she asked him sharply.  
  
He looked up at her and shrugged.  
  
" It was my chin, Revan, " he said coldly.  
  
" It was, yes, and now that. contraption is, " she answered, waving her hand vaguely at the metal at the bottom of his face.  
  
" Yes, but it was my chin. I was fond of it! "  
  
For a second he thought his sarcastic tone might instigate another confrontation but Revan appeared to be in a very good mood.  
  
" We were all fond of your chin, but it's gone now, " she said patiently. " Really, Malak, we had to get rid of it. It was decomposing, and I was afraid the rest of your face would go off. "  
  
He looked at her quickly but aside from a slightly crooked smile she didn't seem to be trying to provoke him.  
  
" I'm a freak Revan. "  
  
She shrugged and moved over to sit beside him.  
  
" Yes, but it was a sacrifice you had to make. You know what the Dark side does. Disfigurements are hardly uncommon. "  
  
Malak shifted in his seat. Her proximity made him uncomfortable. She was being surprisingly patient. He should know better than to push his luck.  
  
" You're not disfigured, last time I looked. "  
  
He looked her in the eyes. She met his gaze steadily.  
  
" You're still the same as you were, " he commented, reaching a hand up to touch her pale face. " No marks of the Dark Side on you. "  
  
She moved her face away irritably.  
  
" And that's because I have mastered the Dark Side. That's because I'm stronger than you. "  
  
Revan stood up and moved away. She began to look over the plans that had been left on the table.  
  
" But it was my chin Revan. "  
  
Her patience obviously exhausted, she cut him off angrily.  
  
" Oh my heart bleeds for you! Just get a grip! You're still my apprentice, aren't you? Was your chin somehow essential to your control of the Force? If so then perhaps we need to renegotiate. "  
  
Her dark eyes fixed on him dangerously.  
  
" Do we need to renegotiate Malak? " she asked him quietly.  
  
Malak forced back the seething anger. Storing it. Releasing it now would be his death.  
  
" No, Lord Revan, " he answered evenly. " We do not need to renegotiate. " Not right now, he added inside his head.  
  
Satisfied, Revan turned back to the datapad.  
  
" Good, now shut up about your chin and get out. "  
  
She didn't look at him again, signalling the discussion was over. He left her sat at the desk, deliberating over the plans. As soon as the door was closed behind him, he let out a deep breath and flexed his shoulders. The ball of rage twisted inside him but he clamped it down, absorbing it into his system. Save it, he told himself sternly, don't use it now, use it when you have a chance of winning.  
  
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After their last confrontation, Malak chose to avoid her for most of the next day. He kept to himself in his chambers where he meditated on her words. And with resentment he realised she had been right. Disturbing as the disfigurement may have been, he was still one of the two most powerful Dark Jedi in the galaxy. Nothing had changed that. He was still strong. He was still the one at her side. In time, he pondered, his loss would be as nothing. She had been right.  
  
In the long friendship she had been right more often than not. He remembered her escalating fury, back before the war.  
  
" We have the power Malak. We could stop them. It's wrong to have the power and not use it. "  
  
It felt very recent. She had been so sure of herself. Her customary playfulness had been crushed by the sense of impotence the Jedi council had imposed on her. All of her impassioned speeches had washed over the Masters as if they had been nothing. Perhaps that had been part of the problem, Malak mused. Revan was so used to getting her own way. She was used to being able to work people around to her point of view. And the Masters had sat there and listened to her and calmly told her `no` a thousand times.  
  
How they must regret that decision now! Away from their perpetual controlling, Revan had flourished. She had transformed into an exceptional military leader. And then she had taken the necessary steps to become the Dark Lord. Just as Malak knew he would one day. Maybe sooner rather than later.  
  
But for now, the best thing would be to try and smooth things over. The last thing he needed was to be on her bad side. People who stayed too long on her bad side had a funny tendency to end up dead.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------- With this in mind, Malak left his rooms and made his way to Revan's private chambers. He could sense her within. Just as he knew she could sense him. He lifted a hand to knock but the door slid open. She seemed pleased to see him.  
  
Yet even as her full lips relaxed into a smile, Malak noticed that her lightsabre was in her hand, not hanging on her belt as usual.  
  
Warning himself to tread carefully, he lifted his hands up in a gesture of surrender.  
  
" I've come to apologise Revan. Forgive me? "  
  
Her smile broadened and she stepped out of his way to let him into her apartments.  
  
" Seen the error of your ways then? " she asked lightly as he moved past her.  
  
He picked up her cloak from where she had discarded it on the floor and laid it over the back of a chair.  
  
" I don't want to fight with you, " he said simply.  
  
" 'Cause you know you haven't a hope in hell of coming out on top? " she queried.  
  
Tightly checking the urge to bristle, Malak sat down and watched her watch him.  
  
" Because we're friends. "  
  
She giggled and shook her head, her reddish gold hair loose around her shoulders.  
  
" Oh Malak, who do you think you're fooling? But regardless, you're forgiven. You can sleep soundly tonight after all. "  
  
Affectionate as her tone was, Malak was distressed. That last shot, had she really meant to act against him this evening? Would a simple `forgive me` truly change her mind if she had decided? No, despite her assurance, Malak determined not to sleep tonight. With discipline he kept his inner turmoil concealed and instead picked up one of the datapads from the floor. Although her capability at organising military manoeuvres with infinite precision and skill usually spilt over into her personal life, Revan's room was a mess.  
  
" Have we had news yet from Commander Grant about the progress of the invasion? " he asked, scanning over the plans on the small screen.  
  
Revan's smile disappeared and Malak suddenly noticed for the first time just how tired she looked. While not suffering the deformities he had, she still did not look well. Dressed as she was in a simple combat suit, he could see she had lost weight. Her dark eyes were shadowed. Her lips and cheeks had lost their colour. Seeing her every day, noticing only her exuberant emotions, whether they were hellish rage or manic excitement, Malak had not truly seen her, or the toll this war was taking on her. He had been wrong earlier. She had changed. She was a wraith compared to the soft, young girl she had been at the Academy.  
  
Revan threw herself down into a seat and raked her hands through her hair.  
  
" No, I'm expecting some communication soon, " she murmured, her eyes darting uncertainly around the room.  
  
" The plans look solid Revan. Why do you sound so worried? "  
  
Revan looked at him and shook her head.  
  
" I don't know, it's just. We're so close, Malak. We're so close I can feel it. But this battle now, just doesn't. there's something. not right. "  
  
" You can feel it in the Force? " he verified.  
  
" Can't you? "  
  
He was quiet for a few moments. The hardest thing was to tune out the ever- present throb of his master's energy in his mind. He could sense her uneasiness, her turmoil but beyond that.  
  
He shook his head and shrugged at Revan helplessly.  
  
She stood up angrily and stormed over to the window behind him.  
  
" Useless! " she cried out at him.  
  
Malak forced himself not to shout back. As he stared forward in bitter silence, he found he could see her in the shining surface of one of the cabinets. She was leant against the glass, her shoulders trembling with frustration. She looked so small and vulnerable. So breakable. At times he had to remind himself what this woman was capable of. Remind himself of the bodies and blood and pain. It was dangerous to let himself forget.  
  
He heard movement and looked again at her reflection. She had turned and was looking in his direction. He was stunned at the ferocity that twisted her beautiful face. Worse still, it was directed at him. Don't move, he told himself, sit still, don't tense. If she was going to act, best to let her think he had let his guard down. But she didn't attack. Instead he watched the ferocity transform into something more dangerous: calculation. It disappeared quickly but Malak knew he'd seen it. She moved forward and sat down beside him.  
  
Her soft hand slipped onto his arm and she leant against him.  
  
" I'm sorry Malak. I'm just scared. I don't know what to do sometimes. I feel so alone and have no-one to turn to. But. " she paused and looked up at him. Her voice was warm and gentle. " I have you don't I? You'll look after me, won't you? I need you here Malak. You're the only one I can trust. "  
  
Receiving no response, he felt rather than saw her turn to look at what he was looking at. She saw the reflection of the window and understood instantly. She pushed his arm away and stood up.  
  
" Well, it was worth a try, " she commented. All sweetness was gone from her voice, replaced by practicality.  
  
" If I hadn't been able to see you then yes, I suppose it would have worked. Still, falling back on feminine wiles and trying to sound helpless is pretty ridiculous when it's coming out of the mouth of a bloodthirsty tyrant like you. "  
  
She laughed again, a sound that lifted the tension immeasurably.  
  
" Ah, you can't blame me! " she threw back reasonably. She leant against the wall and smiled. " Look Malak, I know the way things work. I'm the Master, you're the Apprentice. One day you're welcome to try and challenge that but you and I both know that you're nowhere near ready. Try anything now and I'll burn you up, you know I will. So just. " she struggled for words. " Behave. Okay? "  
  
Malak nodded and regarded her with some fondness.  
  
" Understood. Still, it seems to me, we hear more often about up and coming Apprentices beating their has-been Masters than the other way around. "  
  
" That's because experienced Masters slapping down their cocky Apprentices happens so often it's old news, " she grinned. She picked up her cloak and began heading for the door. " Lets go rattle Commander Grant a bit, get him moving. "  
  
Malak picked up her mask that she had left on the table.  
  
" Won't you be needing this Lord Revan? " he asked, holding it up for her to see. She turned and frowned.  
  
" What would I do without you Malak? " she asked jokingly as he slipped it over her face.  
  
" Oh I think you'd manage. "  
  
" Count on it, " she responded.  
  
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After alarming several of the officers by collecting them from their stations personally, Revan sat back and waited for them to contact Commander Grant on his warship. It seemed to take longer than normal and the frustrated fidgeting of the Dark Lord of the Sith did little to calm the men's nerves. Malak sat by her side implacably and watched the men desperately try to set up a communications link.  
  
" Grant must have run into difficulties, " Malak murmured to Revan. " We expected little serious resistance. But I would imagine from the way no-one is responding that the resistance was considerable. "  
  
" It's times like this that I really miss HK-47. He was a real people- motivator, " Revan commented. " There's no-one like HK-47 to get everyone moving. "  
  
" No, I think when it comes to inspiring terror it has to be said that you outclass your droid. "  
  
Behind the mask Malak was sure Revan grinned.  
  
" Even so, " she answered, rising to her feet and moving over to further panic the soldiers, " I miss him. If I find out anyone has so much as scratched his paintwork, I will be seriously displeased. "  
  
" Surely Lord Revan. "  
  
The room fell silent. Malak and Revan both turned to look in the direction of the hesitant voice. It came from a very young Sith soldier in the corner. His superior was already moving to put some distance between them.  
  
Revan moved over to stand right in front of the young man. Her steps were graceful and deliberate and the man paled at her approach.  
  
" Surely Lord Revan what? " she asked quietly.  
  
Having been immersed a little too long at the Academy in the Sith ethic of standing one's ground when challenged, the man foolishly continued.  
  
" But, surely you'd have been able to sense if your droid joined the Force. "  
  
Revan didn't answer for long while and the silence made even Malak uncomfortable.  
  
" HK-47 is a droid. You may have noticed this by the way that he is made of metal and oh, just the general `droidness` of him, " she replied evenly.  
  
Anyone who knew her as well as Malak did would have heard the edge to her voice. This man obviously did not know her at all though.  
  
" I just thought because you could sense Lord Malak. " the man offered.  
  
Even Revan seemed taken aback at the man's effrontery. Malak tensed for the eruption.  
  
" Lord Malak is not a droid! " she shouted at the man. A bolt of lightning exploded from her small, gloved hand and hit the man squarely in the chest. Within seconds he was little more than a sizzling husk.  
  
She turned back to the assembled officers and many of them took a step back before her anger.  
  
" I begin to wonder how we have managed to conquer so many worlds if I have troops who can't tell the difference between organics and droids. You are not inspiring me with confidence! And I am very unhappy that it fell to me to uncover this boy's stupidity. How many more idiots are there lurking in my army? " Revan spun around again and pointed at the smoking corpse. " And get that out of here, I can't abide the smell. "  
  
She stalked back to her chair and sat down. A few soldiers carried away the body and the other men resumed their activity with feverish intensity.  
  
" You called them `organics`, you have HK-47 on the brain, " Malak commented to her after a moment. " Certainly an impressive display though. You flew into full murderous rage faster than ever. "  
  
" It does me good. Does them good too. "  
  
Malak could hear the smile in her voice.  
  
" See, I've encouraged them, " she added. " And we have a result. "  
  
A middle-aged high-ranking officer approached the Sith Lords respectfully.  
  
" Lord Revan, first let me beg forgiveness for that offence. The boy was merely a low assistant, he in no way reflects the quality of those that follow you. But I am horrified that this happened and I assure you nothing like it will again. "  
  
Revan inclined her head in a small gesture. The man continued.  
  
" We have reached Commander Grant. "  
  
" Better late than never, " Malak remarked acidly as Revan strode towards the holo-image of the Commander leading the front of her invasion force.  
  
The man was badly wounded. There were sounds of blaster fire and explosions in the background.  
  
" Well, Commander? "  
  
" I'm sorry Lord Revan. I was wrong. "  
  
" What happened? " Revan demanded.  
  
The man hung his head.  
  
" The Republic force outmanoeuvred us. I've never seen anything like it. They anticipated our every move. We have lost a third of our original ships. If it had not been for the sheer number of our reinforcements, we would all have been destroyed. "  
  
" But I assume you would not be so foolish to show me your face if you had not taken the planet? " Revan enquired.  
  
" Of course Lord Revan. We have the planet. But at great cost. "  
  
Revan stepped back and was obviously deep in thought. Through their effortless understanding of each other, Malak immediately stepped forward.  
  
" Fortify your position on the ground. Do not lose the planet. Where is the Republic force now? "  
  
" We are dealing with the last of them now Lord Malak. "  
  
" Take prisoners, Commander Grant, " Revan interrupted suddenly. " Have them transferred to me. "  
  
" Very good Lord Revan. Is there anything else? "  
  
" Only the small matter of your failure, " Malak began but Revan grasped his arm unexpectedly and squeezed tightly. " Which we will discuss later, " he concluded, surprised and uneasy.  
  
Commander Grant, appearing not to notice the exchange, nodded and ended the communication.  
  
Malak turned to Revan, and was about to speak but she raised a warning finger absent-mindedly and he thought better of it.  
  
" Let me think, " she murmured and left for her rooms, Malak following close behind.  
  
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Closing the door firmly behind them, Malak turned to her incredulously. She had slipped her mask off and was pacing up and down the room, her eyes unseeing.  
  
" You showed mercy, " Malak stated.  
  
She didn't answer. She didn't even give any sign that she'd heard him. Her behaviour was worrying. He'd expected her to rant, rave and scream at such news. Order thousands of deaths, bomb the planet to dust, do something murderous and violent. But instead she was silent and introspective.  
  
Malak stepped forward and, taking hold of her shoulders, turned her to face him.  
  
" You showed mercy! Why? "  
  
The sudden glint of her dark eyes was enough to bring Malak to his senses. Years ago he would have gotten away with grabbing hold of her and demanding answers. Years ago however, she was not his Sith Master. The sudden burning in his hands was testament to her displeasure. He released her quickly and shook his hands, trying to cool them.  
  
She took a step back and looked at him icily.  
  
" You seem to be playing with death a lot recently. Have you completely lost your mind? " she remarked after a moment.  
  
" I'm simply confused Lord Revan. That man has failed. The penalty for failure is. "  
  
" The penalty for failure is death, yes, " she broke in. " But the failure is not his and so to kill him now would be a waste. You would do well to learn that lesson. "  
  
" How is it not his failure? What was meant to be an uncomplicated invasion has cost us many troops! "  
  
" We have more troops, " Revan answered simply. " Besides, do you think I would have Commander Grant lead the invasion if I did not think he was capable? I didn't show mercy, I showed common sense. He is highly skilled in the art of war. Besides he is loyal to me. And I value that quality in those who carry weapons in my presence. He is useful, and what happened tonight is not his doing. No. There is something beyond this. "  
  
She moved to the window and stared out at the blackness.  
  
" There has been a shift tonight. The balance of the Force is changing. And we have to be careful it doesn't cost us the war. "  
  
Revan turned back to him and slipped her cloak off. She wandered towards her private rooms.  
  
" Leave me now. I need time. "  
  
" Of course, Lord Revan, " Malak responded obediently. He started to the door but her voice cut after him like a knife.  
  
" Lay hands on me again Malak and your chin won't be all you're missing. " He nodded without turning around and left her. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------  
  
Stupid boy, he mused to himself, thinking of the now-incinerated junior assistant. Choose your battles and make sure they're ones you're going to win. Revan's words from years ago. She was believed by many to be as great a Sith Lord as Naga Sadow himself, and the boy had continued to provoke her. It could not have been deliberate. Surely no-one was that foolish! He wondered how the boy had made it through the Academy if he was foolish enough to challenge the Dark Lord herself. Revan kept strict control of the Academy, determined that the ever-present power struggles did not interfere with the flow of talented new recruits into her armies. The flow of her precious `battle fodder`, as she referred to them. The politicking and backstabbing continued of course, with her approval. But she did not allow it to degenerate into the bloodbath it could so easily have become. Get two Sith together and you have a competition, she'd remarked once. And by Malak's estimation he and Revan made two. He simply hoped that his eventual challenge to Revan would not end with his own cremation.  
  
Others before had under-estimated her. He remembered once, when they were fighting the Mandalorians, she and Malak had become separated from the troops. They had come across a group of elite Mandalorian fighters. The soldiers had laughed when they saw her approaching. A small pretty woman whose neck, it seemed, they could have wrung with one hand.  
  
It hadn't taken long for them to stop laughing.  
  
That was perhaps one reason why she wore the cloak and mask. It made her a more menacing figure. But then again, so did bolts of lightning coming from her hand. And the bolts of lightning were becoming slightly more common of late.  
  
Best not to be on the receiving end.  
  
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It was two days later when the first prisoners arrived. They were physical wrecks. Beaten, exhausted and starved. Prime condition for interrogation, Malak noted as they were pulled in before him. Revan had remained locked away, still apparently contemplating the Republic near victory. She had delegated the initial interrogation to Malak with firm orders for him not to kill anyone until she'd spoken to them. Her tone of voice had reminded her of the way she ordered HK-47 off people. It rankled him but he settled into the task with anticipation.  
  
He had five men before him. A mechanic, three soldiers and a lieutenant. Malak watched the men for a few moments. They were unsteady on their feet and looked at him with open fear. Apart from the lieutenant who was apparently made of stronger stuff. There was fear in him, yes, but more noticeably there was hatred.  
  
Malak drained a little of the men's life-force away casually, weakening them further. They dropped to their knees, the mechanic passing out completely. Malak frowned inwardly. Well, he'd lost one already. At least he hadn't killed the man. The screams and gasping echoed through the torture chamber.  
  
" Now, who wants to tell me what happened in the battle you were just in? " he asked as the men recovered marginally.  
  
" Say nothing! " the lieutenant rasped.  
  
Malak silenced the man. The sounds of choking seemed to encourage the other men.  
  
" We don't know! " one of the men pleaded. " I'd tell you if I knew! "  
  
" Who was organising you? "  
  
" The captain, Captain DeMarre organised us! "  
  
" And how did Captain DeMarre know how to counter our fleet? " Malak asked quietly, drawing closer to the man.  
  
The proximity of the Dark Jedi distressed the man greatly. He trembled visibly and shook his head.  
  
" He just seemed to know, " he whispered helplessly.  
  
How could he have known? How had a couple of seemingly average captains been able to counter the vanguard of their Sith fleet? It didn't make sense. Malak fumed and was about to demand more answers when the doors slid open.  
  
" Having fun? " Revan murmured as she drew closer behind him. Their previous conflict seemed to have been forgotten, for now.  
  
" I'm no further forward, " he muttered, out of the men's hearing.  
  
" What about that one? " Revan asked, nodding to the choking lieutenant.  
  
" He won't budge, but the others will. "  
  
She hadn't taken her eyes off the lieutenant.  
  
" Get rid of the others. I want that one. "  
  
Malak raised his eyebrows.  
  
" He won't talk. You'd get more out of the others. "  
  
" I'll talk to them later. But for now I want this one. Let him go. "  
  
Shrugging, Malak released the man and had the others dragged out. Malak moved back as Revan crossed the floor to her chosen victim. The man glared balefully at the dark robed Sith that approached him. The fear was rising to the surface though.  
  
Revan still hadn't moved her gaze from the Republic officer. He half sat, half lay on the floor, his hand rubbing his painful throat. He seemed transfixed by her as she moved ever closer.  
  
" Leave us, " she called out softly to the handful of Sith soldiers behind her.  
  
They left immediately, unusual a request as it was.  
  
" Lord Revan? " Malak said questioningly.  
  
" You stay. Have the rest gone? " she asked as she sat down on the floor before the man.  
  
" Yes Lord. "  
  
Revan slid her hood back and removed her mask, placing it to one side.  
  
Malak relaxed slightly. If he understood nothing else about her behaviour with this prisoner he understood that the man was soon to die. Revan's face had very rarely been seen by others than Malak in the last few years. This man was not going to leave the room alive.  
  
" I'm sorry about all of this. It's a terrible mess, " she murmured after a while.  
  
The man remained silent and cautious. Revan pulled her glove off and touched her hand to the man's face gently. He flinched back but then relaxed. The healing glow spread quickly over his body. He sighed in relief.  
  
" That's better isn't it? " she asked softly.  
  
" Yes, that's better, " he answered hesitantly.  
  
" Good, good. I'm glad you're feeling a little better. Now, could you answer a few of my questions for me? "  
  
" No! No, I won't tell you a thing! " the man spat viciously.  
  
Malak felt distinctly uneasy with the man being so close to his master. She was powerful but not invincible. Perhaps the man was strong enough to knock her out before she could act? If the Republic scum did so much as break one of her nails Malak would skin him! He tensed and focussed all of his energy on the man.  
  
Revan appeared unruffled. She shrugged and nodded.  
  
" Okay, " she agreed. " Fair enough. But you can tell me your name. That's not one of the Republic's war secrets is it? "  
  
" I can tell you my name. It's Ralle Winters. "  
  
" Ralle, " Revan repeated, savouring the name. " Do you know who I am Ralle? "  
  
" Of course I do! You're the Jedi traitor I once followed into battle! "  
  
Revan smiled.  
  
" So you fought with me in the Mandalorian Wars? "  
  
The man was silent, watching her, waiting for the trap to spring shut.  
  
" Come on Ralle, you're not the key to the Republic war effort, are you? "  
  
" No, I'm not. "  
  
Her smile broadened.  
  
" So you can tell me if you fought in the war, can't you? " she cajoled gently.  
  
" Yes, yes, I suppose so. "  
  
" So, you fought at the same time as I did? "  
  
The man nodded.  
  
" You were my commander in chief. I followed you on the final assault. "  
  
" I see. And was your captain also in the Mandalorian Wars? "  
  
" You can't trick me! I'm not answering! " he cried out helplessly.  
  
" Answering a simple question about your captain won't be giving away Republic secrets, Ralle. "  
  
" No. a simple question, you're right. Yes, he was in the Wars with us. "  
  
It was difficult to know, Malak mused, where Revan's charisma ended and her talent for Force persuading began. The Force seemed to hang behind all her words and yet none of them. Malak had listened carefully. Trying so hard to hear when she exerted pressure with the Force. It had been a seamless transition. And when it came to slicing out information, not many could stand up to a mind as powerful as hers.  
  
Revan leant a little closer and brushed the man's hair off his face soothingly.  
  
" And is that where he learnt to fight so cleverly? "  
  
" Hmm? I don't understand. "  
  
Ralle sounded dizzy and disorientated now.  
  
" He must be very smart to counter us like that, " she murmured. " Is that how it happened? "  
  
" No, it. it wasn't just him. "  
  
" Really? Who was it then? " she asked, her voice soft and smooth.  
  
The man flexed his shoulders and looked around uncertainly.  
  
" I. don't know. Should I be telling you this? "  
  
" Of course you should Ralle. Now, who helped your captain be so clever? "  
  
Ralle shook his head.  
  
" I can't tell you. I wish I could, but you're the enemy, aren't you? "  
  
Sighing slightly, Revan shook her head.  
  
" Listen Ralle, think about this. Your Republic is fifteen thousand years old isn't it? "  
  
Ralle nodded and she continued.  
  
" If it's lasted that long, it must be very strong, mustn't it? "  
  
Ralle nodded again.  
  
" Very strong, " he agreed.  
  
" Invincible even, isn't it? "  
  
" Yes, invincible. "  
  
" Well, you telling me one little secret isn't going to topple your Republic, now is it? "  
  
" I. I suppose not. "  
  
" No, of course not. Now, just tell me so we can get this silly war over with. Who was helping your captain? "  
  
Ralle finally crumbled.  
  
" I don't know her but her name's Bastila, Bastila Shan. She's a Jedi. "  
  
" Oh yes, I think I remember Bastila from the Academy. And what was Bastila doing? "  
  
" They say. well they say that she has Battle Meditation. "  
  
Revan nodded encouragingly.  
  
" That's very rare, you know? A very powerful gift. Perhaps I should pay Bastila a visit at the Academy and she and I could catch up. "  
  
" Oh she's not at the Academy anymore, " Ralle interrupted helpfully.  
  
" Really? Where is she now? "  
  
The young lieutenant faltered.  
  
" I don't know, " he mumbled.  
  
" Where is she Ralle? " Revan asked, an edge to her voice.  
  
" I. I don't know, " he answered, his eyes growing wide.  
  
" Where is she? Tell me. "  
  
At that last shove, Malak felt the stress Revan was exerting with the Force. Tears began to run down the man's face.  
  
" I don't know. Really I don't! " he whimpered.  
  
Revan stood up and slipped her mask and glove back on.  
  
" Well, I suppose you don't, " she agreed, surveying the man neutrally. " Good enough. Thank you Ralle. "  
  
She turned away and headed for the door.  
  
" I'm done with this one. Kill him then come see me. "  
  
As she finally released her pressure from his mind, Ralle began to sob uncontrollably. The implications of what he had done were sinking in no doubt, Malak thought. Ralle's wailing becoming increasingly louder, Malak removed the man's last shreds of life-force and then followed behind her.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------  
  
Revan was staring out of the window in her rooms when Malak entered. She looked up at him excitedly.  
  
" So apprentice mine, what do you say to that? "  
  
" Kill her. "  
  
Revan raised an eyebrow doubtfully.  
  
" The answer to every question is not `kill it`, " she said sternly.  
  
Malak looked at her.  
  
" Well, " she amended, with a grin " not every question. Do you remember Bastila? "  
  
" She was just an apprentice, barely out of childhood. "  
  
Revan smiled crookedly.  
  
" I seem to remember you thought her quite pretty. "  
  
" I was young and foolish. I thought a lot of girls pretty. "  
  
" I doubt they'll find you so pretty now, " she responded.  
  
" Then I'll have one less thing on my mind. "  
  
She nodded approvingly and patted his shoulder.  
  
" All the better to serve me with. "  
  
He tensed at her touch.  
  
" I do but live to serve you Revan. "  
  
She looked at him sceptically, scanning him for sarcasm. Finding none, she opened her mouth to speak then thought better of it. Sighing, she moved away.  
  
" Back to Bastila. Can you think of nothing better than killing her? "  
  
He shrugged.  
  
" Killing her painfully? " he offered.  
  
Revan laughed lightly.  
  
" How about turning her? "  
  
Malak was shocked to silence for a few moments.  
  
" Are you serious? " he asked finally.  
  
She shrugged and sat down comfortably.  
  
" Why not? Think what we could do if we had Battle Meditation at our disposal. "  
  
" And what if she can't be turned? " Malak demanded.  
  
Revan turned and looked at him strangely.  
  
" Everyone can be turned Malak, " she said, as though it was patently obvious.  
  
He didn't answer. Revan watched him, her eyes curious.  
  
" Why do you seem so surprised? " she asked after a moment.  
  
" If she has Battle Meditation then she'll be the Council's golden girl. She'll be strong and indoctrinated in their ways. "  
  
She shrugged and toyed with a loose strand of her hair.  
  
" We were once favourites of the Council Malak, " she pointed out. " But besides that, if she has Battle Meditation, then she'll be powerful. And I don't imagine that the Council will let her just do as she pleases. All of that power and all those constraints? She'll be ripe for the picking by my estimation. "  
  
Malak frowned.  
  
" You don't let me do as I please either. "  
  
" Well I could, " she agreed. " But then I'd have to kill you. "  
  
He ignored the jibe and was silent for a few moments thinking. Finally he shook his head.  
  
" It's too dangerous. We should just kill her. "  
  
" You're just a meatbag version of HK-47, you know that? Kill this, kill that. I'm amazed that you two don't get along better. You could go out slaughtering together. "  
  
" Don't call me a meatbag please Revan. You know how I feel about that term. "  
  
Revan smiled broadly.  
  
" Look on the bright side: You're less of a meatbag with your new chin. "  
  
Malak fumed and turned away.  
  
" Can you leave my chin out of this? Please? "  
  
She giggled and leant forward to tap his chin with her fingernail.  
  
" What? Show mercy? Never! "  
  
Seeing that he wasn't amused, she fumed and rolled her eyes.  
  
" Our first line is not to kill Bastila, but to capture her. Those are my orders. "  
  
Malak turned back to her and raised an eyebrow.  
  
" And if we can't capture her alive? "  
  
" Feel free to end her life in any way you see fit. "  
  
The audience was obviously over. Revan began to remove her cloak and free her hair from the ponytail she had secured it in. The small metal clasp on one of her gloves caught in her hair and she fumed and pulled at it irritably.  
  
For a few seconds, Malak watched as she tugged strands of her hair out but seeing she still could not release herself, he moved forward.  
  
" And the Dark Lord Revan's reign over the Sith was tragically cut short when her own glove turned against her, rendering her incapable of fighting, of killing, even of protecting herself, "Malak murmured as he leant down to help her.  
  
She flinched at first. He realised his words had probably not been reassuring. He felt the Force crackle around her but he continued to work at the tangle of hair and metal. When he finally secured her release, she turned to him and smiled slightly.  
  
" Thank you. "  
  
" Anything for my Lord Revan. If your glove should seize you again, please call on me. "  
  
He turned to go but Revan laid a hand on his arm.  
  
" No Malak, thank you. I mean it. For everything. "  
  
Stunned and grateful, Malak attempted a smile. He nodded to her.  
  
" We're in this together. You know what you're doing. You'll do what's best. "  
  
" Yes. I'd say trust me but. " she trailed off.  
  
Malak shrugged understandingly.  
  
" We're Sith. We don't trust. "  
  
She nodded and reached out for him.  
  
" No, we don't trust. But we have friends right? "  
  
He pulled her gently into an embrace.  
  
" Of course we do Revan " he answered, stroking her hair smooth as he held her.  
  
As they stepped apart, she turned away to the window.  
  
" If we could get her power, there would be absolutely nothing that could stop us. You understand that, don't you? " she asked distantly.  
  
" Yes, I understand that. We'll get her and then you can try turning her. "  
  
" I don't think turning her is going to be the hard part. But laying hands on her might, " Revan said grimly. 


	2. Chapter 2

Months later and Revan's words had unfortunately proved prophetic. Malak strode down the corridor, his boots ringing out on the metal floor. He was not looking forward to telling Revan the latest news. Another eight ships destroyed, and that just in a minor skirmish involving the Jedi girl. Yes, they had more ships but even so… The speed of their conquests had gone down considerably. And over the months Revan's mood had simply become blacker and blacker. Her mood swings had become more extreme and she appeared more dead than alive. Worse, the conflicts between Malak and his master had escalated. They had drawn sabres on each other three days ago. It hadn't come to blows but the next time it might.

Malak knocked on the door to her apartments. The doors slid open after a moment. She looked at him blankly and then turned back into her rooms. He followed her anxiously.

" She's done it again, hasn't she? " she asked dully.

" Eight ships down, " Malak confirmed. 

Revan threw herself down onto a chair and drummed her fingers on the armrest.

" Right, " she said after a long silence. " I'm in the mood to get my hands dirty. Get everyone to the war room. Quickly. "

The Sith officers were quiet and tense. Malak's presence precluded any discussion there might have been. He may not have been the war leader Revan was, but he was well known for his brutality. He sat at the front, watching them, wondering which of them would be the next to bear the brunt of Revan's frustration. 

The door slid open and Revan came in, her black robes sweeping about her. 

" Bastila is becoming a nuisance. And I am not happy at the rate at which this invasion is going. So, we speed up. She can't be everywhere at once. We need to be coming in on at least six more invasion corridors. "

" The fleet will be spread much thinner of course but even if the Star Forge only continues to operate at its current rate, we should have enough, " Saul Karath commented. 

" Yes, so we should be able to crush the Republic fleet in the areas that she's not in. As for her, we have to stop letting her choose the battles. Battle Meditation requires time and concentration. We need to force a fight on her, strike out quickly. "

" I think, Lord Revan, we would have a better chance of success if we send the entire fleet after her, " Malak stated. " Overwhelm her with sheer number. "

Revan turned to him and put her hands on her hips irately.

" What a good idea Lord Malak! Lets ambush her with fifty-bloody-thousand ships! She'd never notice those creeping up on her! And lets put all our fleet in the one place so she doesn't have to travel around so much to smash them up! I wish I'd thought of that! "

Seething anger filled the room. The Sith officers stayed silent, their eyes turned down to the floor. Malak looked at Revan as she faced him. She was hidden behind the mask. Even her eyes were disguised. He could make none of her out. Faceless and unknown to him now. He longed to take his lightsabre and make her sorry. Force her to back down before him. How he dreamed of making her beg for his forgiveness for the countless insults and provocations. But he didn't dare. Not now. Not like this. 

" Forgive me Lord Revan. You are right of course. "

She nodded curtly and turned back to the soldiers.

" And another thing, I'm sick of being away from the frontlines. We move forward tomorrow. I shall take the Independent and Lord Malak will join Admiral Karath on the Leviathan. I want us to be at the very front. Now go, you have your orders. "

The officers filed out quickly and Malak rose to follow.

" Wait Malak, " Revan snapped. 

He stopped and steeled himself for the onslaught. After the last of the Sith had left, Revan removed her mask and looked steadily into Malak's eyes. He was a good foot taller than her and yet somehow she managed to negate the effect of the height difference simply in the intensity of her gaze.

" If anyone else had questioned my orders they would be lying dead at my feet by now. Don't do it again. "

She motioned for him to leave and turned away, not looking at him again as he left.

Her admission astonished Malak. He knew the bonds of friendship were strong between them. It surprised him though that she would allow that to interfere with her thinking at a crucial time like this. He was grateful that it had of course, but it made him think. It was ridiculous to imagine that she didn't realise the threat he posed to her continued reign. But she hadn't acted yet. If she wished to hold onto power, she should have the strength to do whatever required. And that obviously didn't include striking him down yet. Doubtless she would defend herself to the death if he made the first move. Then it struck him.

She saw it all as things yet to come. She was happy with the eventual confrontation but she truly didn't think it would come to that. All the times she had told him how it worked between Sith Master and Apprentice, she hadn't thought of it in terms of herself and Malak. Revan didn't actually believe he would act against her and she would find excuses not to be the first to strike.

_How flattering_, Malak mused. _To know she cared, cared enough to risk the mantle of Dark Lord_. Yet despite the warmth that thought gave him, he couldn't help but be disturbed by her weakness. If she was the true Master of the Sith, he should not be able to influence her in this way. She should have the will to strike down anyone and everyone in her path, whether it was fellow student, comrade-in-arms or best friend.

However, his thoughts swayed again. Had he actually considered the moment when _he_ would face her? Striking out hard enough to kill? Considered her blood on his hands? What if she begged? Kneeling tearful before him, as he had imagined so many times before. An image of her from the Mandalorian Wars sprang unbidden into his head. She had returned from the fray, battered and bleeding. She had been badly hurt, had even briefly cried from the pain. He had been so angry. He had sat by her as she slept and struggled to quell the anger that he'd been taught to avoid. _There is no emotion_, he'd told himself over and over again. A lie. 

Could he inflict such pain on her? He wasn't sure he could. He was as weak as she was. He hated the weakness inside him. Iron resolve gripped him suddenly. If he couldn't strike her down, he would have to learn.

Over the next weeks, Malak nurtured the latent hatred he felt towards her. As they battled at the frontlines, he watched her command and he hated her. Every time she spoke to him, his hatred grew. She was too engrossed in the war to notice his increasing hostility. Another weakness. Revan was too immersed in battling the Republic to notice the threat that was growing at her side. She had taken an active role in the fighting.

" I think it's time to play rough, " she'd said. And so she'd gone with her strike teams. She'd boarded Republic ships and left them without a single survivor on board. And when she wasn't actually at that moment killing, she was looking for the next target. 

He waited for her to leave the fighter ship. The Sith troops had just returned victorious from their latest attack. The door swung open and he reached forward to offer her his help as she stepped down. She didn't even seem to notice his hand as she disembarked gracefully. Malak noted that the hem of her robe was drenched with blood. It left a small trail on the floor as it swept along. However, Revan herself appeared unhurt.  

She held out a lightsabre to him.

" Here, I brought you this, " she said. " You can see if the crystals are any good. "

" Thank you Revan, " Malak replied as he took the blood stained weapon.

" It can't have been that good, " she commented as she brushed past him.

" How come? " he asked as he turned to follow her.

She spun round and gestured flamboyantly with her hands.

" I'm here aren't I? And its owner was rather reluctant to give it to me! "

Revan turned back and carried on her way.

" Quite surprising really. I did explain that it was going to be a gift for my apprentice. I'd thought he'd have been proud, and seeing as it was obvious I was going to kill them anyway I'm surprised he put up such a fight. Silly Jedi fool. "

Malak looked at the Sith troops disembarking from the small fighter ships. They too were covered in blood, the shining silver plates smeared red.

" Why is there so much blood Revan? " he asked after a moment.

" Oh, I tried something new, " she explained ambiguously. " I didn't expect there to be so much blood. And I don't know _how_ I'm going to get it out of this robe. It really is too bad. "

She caught hold of the material and shook it slightly, sending droplets of blood splattering across the floor.

" Messy messy, " she complained. " Get someone to clear this up. "

She continued down the corridor, apparently not knowing or caring if Malak followed. He caught up with her.

" So it went well then? " he asked.

" Of course it did. So well in fact I'm just spoiling for another fight. "

She paused and glanced back at him.

" You should try it. Bring some of the fun back into this war. "

" Thank you but no. "

" Saving your energy for the big fight? "

He was shaken. Did she know what he was planning? It was all so nebulous at the moment. She couldn't possibly know, he barely knew himself. He tried to stop his hand scrabbling for his lightsabre.

" With Bastila? " she prompted.

" Yes, " he answered quickly. " But perhaps I _should_ come with you sometime. "

" Next target, I'll come get you and we'll go out on a raid together, " Revan promised as she swept into her room.

Out of her sight, Malak leant against the wall and tried to soothe his nerves. Too close. Far, far too close.

His dreams that night were much as they had been for the past few months. Distorted memories of his time with her and dizzy nightmares of what might be coming. 

_He was back at the Temple Summit, the sun glaring down on him. There was a dull stillness in the air. He could hear the distant croaking of gizka, the slapping of the waves at the shore, but little else. His robes were uncomfortable and scratchy. The metal attached his face was unbearably heavy. Too heavy too carry, stopping him from breathing. _

_But that was wrong. He'd been whole when he'd first come to the Temple with her._

_Her. There she was. She was stood working at the computer, dressed in simple Jedi robes. Her hair was loose, falling around her face and she brushed it back impatiently. Her fingers paused as they rushed over the equipment. She straightened up and turned to look at him. She smiled._

_Damn her and her smiles! Damn her! _

_Anger and hatred boiled up in him. He ignited his lightsabre and charged at her. She barely had chance to draw her own sabre before he was on her. Malak thundered blows down on her, striking again and again. She blocked most of them but the last two slipped past her guard. She cried out in pain as the blade connected with her shoulder. Clutching her wounded shoulder, Revan staggered back. Her eyes were large and luminous, pleading with him. _

_Damn her eyes!_

_Malak advanced and lifted his sabre again. She flattened against the crumbling, stone wall and raised her lightsabre in a feeble attempt to block his blows. With one hand, Malak grabbed her wrist and wrenched the lightsabre from her grasp. It skittered across the floor, the flame dying instantly. His other hand drove his own sabre towards her chest. The smell of burning flesh instantly greeted his nose. She moaned and sank down. Her only defence now was one trembling arm. Her breath was coming fast and she had averted her face._

_The anger had built into an absolute rage. It burnt in him as if it was his own chest he had plunged his lightsabre into. He took hold of at her, dragging her to her knees and digging his hand into her soft hair, twisting her face to look up at him. _

_Tears ran freely down her cheeks. He could feel her trembling. He stared down at her then took his lightsabre and raised it high above his head._

_" This is your last chance, " he ground out. _

_He realised he was trembling too, shaking with the fury that coursed through him. She whimpered and weakly tried to break free. _

_" I mean it! " he snarled, shaking her roughly. " This is your last chance Revan! "_

_She was suddenly quiet and still. He leant closer to her as she licked her lips and opened her mouth to speak._

_"No. "_

_The white hot rage exploded and he flung her down, away from him. She sprawled on the ground for a second before she feebly turned onto her back. Seeing him start to walk deliberately towards her, she desperately tried to drag herself away. _

_Malak swiftly crossed the distance between them and swung his lightsabre down with all the strength he possessed. She screamed in agony and he swung again. As he rained down the blows, he felt the throb of her energy growing ever weaker, until it was little more than an ember. He heard the sudden silence in his mind. He felt the world fade away into darkness around him._

The sudden resurgence of her energy was like a physical blow. Malak jolted awake, sitting up quickly. 

" Shh, shh! It's only me. "

Her voice. Through the darkness, he could make her out leaning over him. Her hand was on his shoulder and he realised that she'd shaken him awake.

" Revan… what are you….? " he stuttered.

" I've found the next target, " she whispered gleefully. " Get dressed and meet me in the hangar. "

With that she slipped out of the room. He sat for a moment, trying to regain equilibrium. He'd known it had been a dream. But he'd allowed it to ensnare him. The sheer… sensation of it had been exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Of course she wouldn't be that easy to beat. Revan was a fighter to the core. Physical strength had nothing to do with it. Nobody could find a weak spot like Revan. If it came to a clash of lightsabres Malak didn't favour his chances. Not yet anyway.


End file.
